PTA GRANTS and SCHOLARSHIPS: What is out there?
By: Mira Reverente
12th District PTA Grants and Scholarships Chairperson

Do you have a bright idea or program that you would like to implement at your unit, council or district? Do you know a high school senior, a school nurse, a parent volunteer or a teacher in need of a scholarship? The California State PTA has numerous opportunities for units, councils and districts in search of grants and scholarships.

So what exactly is out there? Grants are available in the area of parent education, cultural arts and leadership development. One can also apply for a grant to translate PTA materials into other languages. Then there are scholarships for parent volunteers, school nurses, teachers and high school seniors.

Don't long application forms intimidate you. Here are a few helpful tips:

1)  Start Early.

Most deadlines are on November 15 but do not wait till the last minute. Remember that all applications have to go through channels. Application forms can be found in the toolkit or at http://www.capta.org/sections/programs

2)  Get organized.

Make a checklist of all the requirements. Put all your paperwork in one folder or binderso they are easy to find and refer to. Check regularly to determine which document is missing or needs to be revised. Devide all the required paperwork into manageable chunks and set mini-deadlines for yourself. Example: Sept. 20 - first draft done; Oct. 5 - all references in; Oct. 15 - final draft and so on.

3)  Do your homework.

If for example your unit is applying for a parent education grant, do some research and ask around. Has it been done before? How many benefited? Get specifics, statistics, dates and anything you can get your hands on to back up your application.

4)  Try to get some outside input.

If possible, have a second or third person review your application. That way, you can get an unbiased opinion. Your reviewer may also be able to point out some typographical or grammatical mistakes you may have overlooked.

5)  Read and re-read.

Before turning in your application, go over it again and check that you are turning in all the required documents (i.e. references).

For grant or scholarship-related questions, please email me by clicking on the email thumbnail below.

GRANTS & SCHOLARSHIPS
Available through: California State PTA

Grants:

Cultural Arts
Leadership Development
Outreach Translation
Parent Education

DEADLINE: NOVEMBER 15, 2007

Scholarships:

High School Graduating Seniors

DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 1, 2008

Continuing Education (Credentialed Teachers, School Nurses, and PTA Volunteers)